5 Key Take-Aways from BrandLive’s Customer Summit

I recently had the opportunity to attend BrandLive’s Customer Summit in Portland, Oregon. It was amazing to see top brands embracing live video broadcast as a way to better connect with consumers and give their brand a personal touch. I had the opportunity to meet industry thought leaders and learn their techniques for creating a great live video event.

1. Video is one of the best ways to connect with your customers

Consumers want to feel like they are personally connected to your brand – not just a revenue source. Giving your biggest fans an exclusive live look at your newest product or direct access to your product development team is a great way to increase engagement and loyalty. Video provides the perfect medium for these types of events.

Beyond the advantages of providing more direct access to your brand, the bottom line is video sells. Some brands at the summit were reporting conversion rates as high as 35% during their live broadcasts. By allowing viewers to interact and have their questions answered in real-time, you’re creating a powerful selling environment that was previously only possible when a customer visited a physical store.

2. You already have the on-screen talent you need

At BrandLive’s summit, the vast majority of the brands were not hiring professional quality talent, but rather turning the camera on their own employees. And why not? Who is more passionate and knowledgeable about your products than the people creating them?

Designers and buyers have dedicated their time and energy to understanding every nuance of a product line (sometimes even just a single product). They are your subject matter experts. Many of them would love the opportunity to share their knowledge directly with the end customer. At Liveclicker, we have always encouraged our clients to utilize their existing employee base for product videos.

Try holding an in-house talent show or contest to see who has the best on-screen presence. Designers, buyers, store managers, or anyone with a passion for your product could be your future on-camera star.

3. Make video about more than just promoting your brand/product

If every video that you create is focused on selling your product, it is unlikely that potential consumers will be motivated to keep tuning in. Brainstorm ways to entertain and educate your target audience. Ball Canning Supplies certainly isn’t talking every month about the features of a glass jar. They’re educating their audience with creative new recipes and canning techniques.

As an example, Pottery Barn produced a live video broadcast about summer cocktails presented by professional bartenders. Although it may not have directly led to increased sales, it likely increased their brand recognition and loyalty. By building value for your viewers with great content and not just product pitches, you’ll keep them coming back for more.

4. Don’t stress about creating the perfect video or live broadcast

Every brand wants to produce a perfectly engineered broadcast that goes off without a hitch. In reality, viewers are more interested in a genuine, fun and informative experience, rather than the over-polished, unrealistic commercials shown on TV.

Your first broadcast certainly won’t be your best, but there is no way to learn what your customers will respond to until you dive in and start producing content. If you make a mistake or two along the way, your consumer won’t hold it against you. In fact, they may even appreciate you more for it. Showing bloopers, or producing a more casual video gives your brand a personality that consumers can relate to. Don’t worry; the quality and consistency of your videos will come with time and practice.

5. Live broadcasts are only as good as your audience:

Now that you have attention-grabbing video content, the next step is persuading consumers to watch and participate in a live broadcast. Mastercraft recently promoted their newest boat model via a Brandlive Video Event. Leading up to the event, they showed clips of the new boat in videos on YouTube, displayed models of it at trade shows, and hinted through various e-mail campaigns. However, the actual unveiling of the boat was saved for a live video broadcast, which resulted in a hugely successful video event and product launch for Mastercraft.

Make sure your marketing messaging includes information about the host(s) in addition to the product they’ll be presenting. Use emails embedded with countdown timers and video teasers to help build excitement and anticipation. Blooper content from your last event is a great way to convince watchers to tune-in. Use some of these promotion techniques to ensure you’ll get maximum return on the investment you put into video.

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Justin Foster

Justin is Co-Founder and VP Market Development of RealTime Email at Liveclicker. Prior to Liveclicker, Justin led the services practice for WhatCounts, Inc., an email marketing services provider, where he was responsible for client strategy and deliverability. He also founded the Email Marketing Roundtable, an industry discussion forum that represents over 1,500 email marketers worldwide including the majority of the largest online retailers in North America.